


The Appeal of Autumn

by R_E_R6



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Autumn, Buck and Eddie are basically married then finally kiss, Domestic Fluff, Evan "Buck" Buckley-centric, Family Feels, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, Halloween, M/M, Soft Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Trick or Treat: Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:27:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27294184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/R_E_R6/pseuds/R_E_R6
Summary: "Buck has never really seen the appeal of Autumn. Not since he was a kid anyway."At least, not until this year, when his time spent with Eddie means the usual loneliness that Autumn brings doesn't take hold of him like it used to. In fact, he may just learn to love Autumn after all. Never as much as he loves Eddie and Christopher though.AKA Buck realising he loves Eddie, followed by the effortless way they transition into more than friends, all across a short period of October days.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 33
Kudos: 221
Collections: Buddie Trick or Treat





	The Appeal of Autumn

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DramamineOnTopOfMe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DramamineOnTopOfMe/gifts).



Buck has never really seen the appeal of Autumn. Not since he was a kid anyway. 

Sure, he loves halloween and sweater weather just as much as the next person, he loves the way the world changes colour around him, and he finds peace is the deep orange glow of the sun as it sets in the early evening. He doesn’t mind the cold at all, and finds great satisfaction in the crunch of fallen leaves beneath his feet as he wanders through the park on cool October nights. 

So yeah, autumn itself is perfectly fine and by all rights Buck should love it.

Only, despite all these moments of joy he finds, Buck’s mood always seems to fall right alongside the first browned leaf that drifts down from the tree outside his window. He can't help it, honestly. With Autumn comes the end of morning walks, afternoon picnics in the sun and long summer evenings hanging out with a cold beer. Instead, everyone retreats to their homes to curl up on the couch with blankets and cheesy family movies that show the kind of life Buck will most likely never get to have. 

Everything about Autumn, from the colder weather to the themes on tv, encourages you to spend time at home with loved ones and Buck, for the longest time, didn't have any loved ones to spend it with. Autumn meant the loneliness crept up on him once again, dragging him down right through till the end of winter while everyone else celebrated the holidays with their families.

After moving to LA and meeting the team -the first people to have felt like family in a long time-, and after getting Maddie back, those feelings still lingered at the darkest edges of his mind. Even when he wasn't alone he still felt the pang in his chest reminding him that once the time comes, they would be going home in their own little groups and he would be going home to an empty apartment that never quite heats up enough to counteract the coldness he feels when he walks back into its dark clutches. 

In the end, what use are the joyful moments when he always seems to be the only person he knows with no one to share them with?

So, figuring that this year would be just like any other, Buck wakes up on a chilly October morning with the weight of that loneliness pressing him back down into his sheets. He stays in bed, wrapped in his duvet, as he watches the leaves clinging to the trees in the wind. Already, he can't help but mourn the moment they will all inevitably fall, leaving the tree bare and exposed to the cold. 

The wind doesn't take them yet though; as powerful as the gusts are they just can't grab hold of the leaves and pull them from their home just yet. However, Buck knows it won't take them until the tree has no choice but to let them go. Then the tree, like him, will be left alone as the leaves all scatter in search of new adventures without him. No, without the tree. This is about the tree, not Buck. 

While we're making comparisons though, Buck does feel akin to the wind at times. In those times it seems like no matter how hard he tries to reach out and touch the hearts of everyone around him, he just can't quite hold on as they slip through his fingers. Eventually the wind is forced to move on alone, and is forgotten about as people retreat home to their families to find warmth and comfort, leaving it blowing alone through the empty streets. 

After all, no one reaches out to the wind. 

As it turns out though, this year is different. That very same day he is interrupted in the middle of a sigh at the wilting leaves outside his window by the cheerful chime of his phone. 

It’s Eddie, asking if he is awake and free for the day. He doesn’t have any plans, obviously, and he goes to reply just that but Eddie must have seen him typing because it begins to ring in his hand. He answers it quickly, eager to hear the familiar rasp of lingering sleep that decorates Eddie’s voice each morning. One benefit to being alone is that there’s no one around to judge him for the delighted smile that takes over his face from the simple pleasure of a call from a friend; one is (probably) far too attached to.

Before he knows it, he has plans for the day and instead of burying himself beneath his duvet to wallow in misery and hide from the chill of this apartment, Buck eagerly throws back his duvet and rushes to get ready. The whole time, he is humming in harmony with the birds singing outside his window. 

His pleasant smile is still in place when he opens the door an hour later to find Eddie and Christopher on the other side. Both of them are adorably bundled in coats that Buck deems way too thick for this early in the season. Eddie only brushes off his teasing with a shrug, adamant that it is “basically winter already", before handing Buck a travel thermos filled with hot chocolate that he claims will help stave off the cold. 

As Buck takes it, he notes that he no longer feels the usual morning chill throughout the apartment that he had dreaded facing from the moment he'd opened his eyes. Instead, as he takes the cup from Eddie's hands, a tingle of warmth travels through him as their fingertips brush. He brushes off the feeling before grabbing his keys and following them out of the building, all the while enjoying the welcome heat spreading up through his hands. It was probably just from the hot chocolate, that makes more sense. 

Their trip is little more than a trip to the park, Buck keeping Eddie company on a nearby bench while Christopher plays. Until they get dragged into his game of make-believe, that is. But, despite the fact that the leaves are brown and curling in on themselves for comfort, and each burst of laughter lets loose thin clouds from their lips, it’s more fun that Buck can ever remember having on a day like this. 

And, when the wind blows strong half-way through "King Christopher’s Royal Decree”, the young boy stops short mid-sentence to watch as a few stray leaves lift from the trees and fly through the air. Eddie swiftly picks him up and twirls him around so he can fly too before setting him back on his feet. Buck’s laugh carries through the dancing air towards them as he wraps his jacket even tighter around himself. Then, as if a sign from the universe, Eddie and Christopher both stretch out their arms and lean into the gusts, welcoming it with matching peaceful grins. 

Buck feels like his world stops spinning right there, before shifting ever so slightly. Everything clicks into place right then; his attachment to the two beautiful souls in front of him, and their ability to brighten his day just by being there; the way his body feels drawn closer to Eddie's like a magnet whenever he is near; the feelings he's been casting aside, excusing for other things that seemed more logical at the time, but were only poor attempts to explain away what he was too blind to see until now. 

He loves them. He loves the way they fit into his life and fit him into theirs. He loves this little family he has attached himself to. He loves them.

He thinks about it for the rest of the day, then the night, then the day again. After that, Buck can’t even feel alone anymore, even when he is. How could he possibly feel alone when Eddie and Christopher are always on his mind? 

(Well, that and they’re always on his phone too)

  
  


In the middle of October, Buck gets a call from Eddie just as he’s finished tidying up yet another meal for one. He can’t really complain this time though, seeing as it’s the first dinner he’s eaten alone all week. All the others have been spent with various members of the team- including a barbeque at Bobby and Athena’s to “kick off the season”, whatever that means-, or with Eddie and Christopher. Most have been spent with Eddie and Christopher, if he's being completely honest, and not just that week either. 

He quickly dries his hands and is smiling before the phone is up to his ear. It only widens when Eddie’s smooth voice drifts through the speaker. It is only supposed to be a short call according to Eddie, he says as much when he apologises for calling so late. Buck doesn’t mind at all and sounds slightly too eager as he relays this to Eddie. Rather than comment on how overzealous he must sound, Eddie delivers a message from Christopher, informing Buck that his presence has been requested the following morning for pumpkin picking. 

“Only if you want to, obviously, no pressure. I can tell him no-”

“Nonsense,” Buck interrupts. He’s grinning at himself in the darkened window above his sink now. “I’d love to come. I’m always up for some quality time with you guys, you know that.”

“Oh thank God,” Eddie sighs before trailing off into a chuckle. “He was asking about you coming along all through dinner. He wanted to call you straight away but I told him not until after. Then we forgot and he was worried it’d be too late to ask.”

“Never.”

There’s a sound on the other side of the line, not quite a huff or a sigh, but a similar breathy sound. Buck can’t quite decipher it, but Eddie’s voice sounds different when he continues speaking. It’s quieter, more melodious, but his words feel infinitely more intense. 

“You’re the best, you know that?”

His chest warms at the words, his reflection staring back at him sappily as he tries to figure out a response. 

“Are you still there, Buck?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m here, sorry. Just,” Buck shakes his head at himself. Get it together, Buckley. Straightening his shoulders and forcing himself to move away from the reflection, Buck twists his mouth into a smirk and let’s some of his once-patented cockiness bleed into his voice. “Just basking in the moment, you know. I enjoy hearing you admit that I’m better than you.”

“Pfft, you wish, Buck.”

Buck hums, “Deny it all you want, I remember what you said.”

His wandering feet have taken him upstairs by now, so he lets himself fall back onto his bed as Eddie’s denials drift through to his ears. From there, the original point of the call gets lost in the flow of casual banter and conversation. Buck rests against his pillows and listens as Eddie wanders around the house, telling him all about an earlier call with his Abuela while he puts away stray toys before moving on to dried dinner plates. 

Buck can tell when he goes out into the hallway because his voice gets quieter so as not to wake up Christopher. Regardless, he hears each word perfectly and listens attentively until Eddie is finished before voicing his shock that Christopher is sound asleep already. It brings them full circle back to their plans tomorrow once Eddie reveals he’d gotten him to bed with no fuss by telling him it would make tomorrow come sooner. 

“Oh, wow, so much for a short call.”

The disbelief in Eddie's voice has Buck twisting to look at his clock. Spying the time displayed in neon blue letters, he feels his own eyes widen. It’s already been forty-five minutes since Buck had picked up the phone. Oh, how time flies.

“Have we really been talking for that long?” he voices aloud. It’s rhetorical, but Eddie hums in confirmation anyway. 

“I’d better get to bed." It may be Buck's hopeful imagination, but Eddie sounds reluctant to say so. “No doubt Chris will be waking me up in the morning to ask when you’re going to get here. You should get to bed too, I know what you’re like for getting up in the mornings.”

Buck would be offended by the accusatory tone but he is known for waiting until the last minute to drag himself out of bed. At least, he is usually; he finds it much easier to get up in the mornings when it comes to seeing Eddie and Christopher. 

“I’m already in bed,” he says instead of denying Eddie’s claim. “So, ha.”

“You are?” Eddie asks. Buck can hear by his tone that he has his eyebrows raised. And is that…? No, Eddie isn't flirting. Surely Buck is jusy imagining it. This stupid crush has him all out of sorts. “Do you often get in bed when you talk with me?”

He’s clearly teasing -just teasing, of course- but Buck’s face heats up at the implication anyway. No one is there to see it but he still throws and arm over his face to hide it.

“Don’t make it weird, man,” he groans. “I am just rela-”

“Chill out, I’m kidding. I should probably join you though.” There’s silence on both sides of the line as the words sink in. Okay, that definitely sounds suggestive. Buck doesn’t dare move as he stares at his ceiling, completely astounded. He doesn't even breathe until Eddie rushes to correct himself. “That didn’t come out right. Fuck, clearly I’m too tired for this.”

The air is forced out of his lungs with a heavy sigh. He tries to disguise it as a yawn but he isn't sure how successful he is.

“No worries,” Buck croaks, his throat suddenly feeling too dry to speak. He takes a second to clear his throat and rid himself of some of the raspiness in his tone. “How about I come over early tomorrow and make breakfast? That might get Chris off your case.”

“Yeah, that uh, that sounds perfect,” Eddie agrees, his own words tentative. “Thank you.” 

“No worries. I’ll see you in the morning?”

“Yeah, see you then.”

Buck stays frozen in place when the phone turns silent. He runs the conversation through his head, overthinking it for reasons he can’t quite figure out. He overthinks the implications of that too. It’s not until his phone chimes that he breaks free from those thoughts and remembers he was planning to sleep. He checks the text when he plugs in his phone, seeing it’s from Eddie:

_ Bring coffee?? _

Buck chuffs at the addition of three pleading face emojis before replying with a thumbs up and falling against his pillows. Ten minutes later, when his mind is still analysing their conversation, he groans and flips on to his stomach to squish his face into his pillow. It seems he’s going to need that coffee in the morning if his night continues like this. 

Either way, he knows that no matter how tired he is, he’ll be up bright and early at Eddie’s front door with coffee in hand and his heart breaking rapidly in his chest.

The next day, Buck does show up at eight am sharp -with coffee, as promised- and is greeted by an excited Christopher and the sight of Eddie’s scruffy bedhead. All around it’s an adorable sight but Buck doesn’t let himself dwell on that thought. There’s only so long you can smile adoringly at your best friend’s bedhead before it becomes weird, right?

Breakfast is a simple affair; meaning Eddie sits at the table cradling a take-out cup while Buck makes quick work of a dozen pancakes and sips from his own between flips. Christopher bounces in his seat, though Buck is sure he'd be bouncing out of it if it weren't for the promise of faster pancakes if he let Buck make them alone. It’s probably a good idea Eddie made that a rule for today, Buck definitely would have spent hours letting him help if it’s what Chris asked and they would never get to the pumpkin patch before all the good ones are gone. 

As it is, they get through the process of getting ready to leave pretty easily. Before they know it, they are helping a hyper Christopher out of the truck and following along diligently as he traipses through the rows littered with various sizes of obnoxiously orange fruit. 

“Christopher, we don’t need one that big,” Eddie protests when his son’s widened eyes settle on one that dwarfed his chest. 

“That’s perfect!” Buck proclaims excitedly at the same time. 

For a moment, they just look at eachother, Buck grinning sheepishly and Eddie already sighing in defeat qhen Christopher yells out in excitement. It seems he’s completely deaf to his father now that Buck is around and has taken Buck’s enthusiasm as a unanimous agreement. 

Buck scratches the back of his neck guiltily and shuffles his feet, he’d let his own newfound excitement for this year's halloween take over and hadn’t even thought before opening his mouth. He knows he overstepped and should have checked with Eddie to make sure it was okay first and Eddie has every right to be pissed. Not that Eddie protests too hard as he points a finger at Buck’s apologetic face. 

“You’re carrying it,” is all he says on the matter before emphasising his statement with a jab at Buck’s chest. 

“Definitely, of course.”

Carrying a pumpkin vs Eddie being mad or Chris being sad? He'd carry that pumpkin up Everest.

He can’t keep his glee out of his voice. There’s no hiding how glad he is that Eddie agreed, and not just because he doesn’t want Christopher to be let down after Buck’s slip-up. It really is a fantastic looking pumpkin. Eddie rolls his eyes and tries to keep up a stern facade, but he obviously hears Buck’s badly stifled relief and even he can’t hide his smile either. 

“Alright. Christopher, we can get this one but I hope you like pumpkin soup because we aren’t letting this whole thing go to waste.”

Christopher nods asently and sits atop the pumpkin to claim it. They’re both aware he isn’t listening anymore, too caught up with his find, but Eddie lets it slide as he pulls out his phone to take a picture of Chris perched on his prized pumpkin. Buck waits until he has a few good snaps before he strides forward and lifts Christopher out of the way before crouching in front of it. He makes sure he’s steady on his feet before turning and making a show of pulling up his sleeves. He even lets out a few grunts and fakes some failed attempts for their entertainment before easily heaving the pumpkin up to cradle against his chest. When he turns away from Christopher’s giggling, he sees Eddie’s phone pointed right at them as the man behind it watches on with fond eyes. 

“Are you taking pictures of us?” Buck asks dramatically before doing his best attempt at a pose without the use of his arms. 

“Nope,” Eddie replies before slipping his phone back into his pocket. He doesn’t elaborate and Buck doesn’t ask. 

They don’t get the time to because that’s when Christopher pipes up with, “Okay, which ones should we get for you and Buck, Dad?”

Buck’s nervous laughter bubbles out and gets swept away in the same gust of wind that freezes Eddie’s dumbstruck look onto his face. Christopher is completely unphased by their reactions and finished determinedly. 

“It’s not fair if only I get one.”

“That’s all him, I had nothing to do with that,” Buck chuckles as he walks back towards Eddie. His gait is a little stilted given the extra pounds and the inability to see his feet, but he manages to make it without tripping on any stray pumpkins, even with his eyes squinted from laughing. 

“Why did I teach him to care about others?” Eddie bemoans in jest, “He’s an only child, I could have gotten away with it for a few more years.”

“Too bad, man, your kid’s just too thoughtful, it's a travesty.”

Buck bumps their shoulders together before locking eyes with Eddie, his own sparkling with mischief. Eddie lets out a hefty sigh before looking back at Christopher, who is already sizing up pumpkins for the two of them. 

“Small ones, Christopher, I mean it,” he gives in, not looking nearly as reluctant as he is trying to seem.

“Softie,” Buck teases, knocking their shoulders again. Only, this time he moves a little too quickly when he pulls away and almost topples backwards as the weight of the pumpkin pulls him off balance.. 

“Woah, careful.” Eddie steadies Buck quickly before wrapping an arm around his back and shooting Buck a playful wink. “We can’t have you dropping the best pumpkin in LA.”

Buck leans into the warmth of Eddie's side as they continue walking, and Eddie makes no move to drop his arm until he finds two small pumpkins, each easy enough to hold in the palm of his hand, which he deems suitable additions to their collection. Buck feels the loss immediately as Eddie pulls away to slip them both under the arm that had previously been searing him through his clothes. The sudden cold along his side is unexplainable given the fact that it’s a pretty mild day, other than the obvious explanation that Buck refuses to acknowledge. 

Loving Eddie is one thing, fantasising about the heat of his hands in public while Christopher is five feet away is a whole other story. 

“Are you ready to go or do you wanna put that down for a minute? We can switch if you need to."

Eddie’s concern snaps him from his thoughts. It’s then that he realises he’s stopped mid-stride in the middle of a walkway as a couple gingerly steps around him. With a mumbled apology, Buck steps to the side. 

“Sorry, no I’m-”

“Watch out,” Eddie calls. His free hand reaches out and grasps Buck’s arm, holding him still just as he feels his foot land too high up to be touching the ground. “You sure you don’t want to trade?”

“Maybe Dad should carry it, Buck. You almost fell,” Christopher adds. 

Buck isn’t sure if the worried look masking his face is for him or his beloved pumpkin, but either way it has Buck straightening his back and finding his footing. He readjusts the pumpkin, just to be sure, before shaking his head. For some reason he’s determined to see his task through. After all, he did encourage Chris to get the big one. 

“Nope, just need to watch where I’m stepping.” Eddie gives a skeptical look from Buck to the pumpkin and Back. “You know what I mean, lead the way.”

Chris takes the instruction with only a single backward glance as they make their way towards the exit to pay. Luckily, the path is almost perfectly flat and there are no more stumbles. Although, that doesn’t stop Eddie from placing a guiding hand at the small of Buck’s back the whole way. Buck pushes his thoughts aside, deciding to wait until later to overanalyze the way his heart flutters at the gesture. It’s not uae thinking about it now, anyway, it's not like Eddie means anything by it.

“Finally, you guys are so slow,” Chris complains when they step up to the counter. They were no less than three steps behind the whole time but it seems Chris’ eagerness has swiftly become impatience. The elderly lady at the counter releases a trill of laughter and reaches over to ruffle Christopher’s wild curls. 

“You two have your hands full with this one, huh? I remember those days with my two,” she observes, her pleasant tone soft and airy in a way that suggests a latent nostalgia. 

“Yeah, quite literally,” Buck agrees as he raises the pumpkin a little as if to show it off. It’s not exactly necessary, anyone with eyes can see the big orange mass he’s awkwardly hugging, but he’s hoping it distracts from her implication and the way he hadn’t corrected her. 

“Dad didn’t want one that big but we won him over,” Christopher beams triumphantly, earning them another appraising look. 

“Well, aren’t you lucky your dads are feeling so generous? Must be that oncoming holiday spirit. Autumn is the time for family, you know.” 

Christopher grins and Buck ducks his face, hoping to hide the way his skin flushes red. There’s no way Eddie hasn’t picked up on her assumption this time and he’s waiting for the inevitable discomfort to settle over the conversation once Eddie corrects them. 

“Definitely.”

That’s it. Eddie says nothing more than that single word, sounding completely mellow as it slips free from his lips and dances in the air between them before caressing the back of Buck’s neck. 

When did Eddie get so close? 

Buck’s pulse thumps against the reddened skin and he doesn’t dare to speak through fear of the affectionate words that would come spilling out. Instead, he stays silent throughout the rest of the exchange until Eddie steps closer before cursing.

“Can you wait here with Christopher? I left my wallet in the truck.”

Buck nods absently until the words sink in, then his head snaps up just in time to stop Eddie walking away.

“Wait, I have it. I saw it on your seat and picked it up.”

Problem solved.

“Great, where?”

Shit, new problem. 

“Um, in my back pocket,” he reveals tentatively with a grimace, the words feeling far too big for his mouth. He knew he should have given Eddie his wallet back at the truck, but he’d gotten caught up in Christopher’s whirlwind search and been distracted far too soon. 

Eddie pauses too and, for a moment, they just stare at each other as they try to figure out the simplest approach. 

“If I just-” Eddie stops talking, favouring action as he sets the two smaller pumpkins on the countertop and gestures to Buck’s ass. His pocket, not his ass, Buck reminds himself. Now is not the time for his feelings to send him head first into the gutter. 

“I, yeah, go for it,” Buck agrees aloud. Internally, he’s screaming at himself to stay still, don’t react, don’t make this weird. No, he isn’t grabbing your ass, don’t tense up. 

Do. Not. Make. A. Sound. 

It’s a useless attempt at a pep talk. He definitely tenses slightly when Eddie’s hand grazes his ass and slips into his pocket, and a small gasps parts his lips. How can it not when Buck has had way too many thoughts about those hands lately? Not quite in this context, but still, Buck is only human. 

No sooner are Eddie hands on him, they’re gone, but Buck still feels the ghost of their pressure alongside the heat they left behind. Eddie doesn’t look at him as he pays quickly before slipping his wallet into his own pocket and grabbing the pumpkins to take back to the truck. Buck isn’t sure whether to be relieved or disappointed but it’s easier to breathe once Eddie’s begun walking away with Christopher close behind. Now he no longer has to worry about his tongue betraying his heart's secret desire. 

“You’d better get after him, Sweetie,” the lady winks, “it is nice to watch him walk away though, if you don’t mind an old woman saying so.”

Buck chokes on a laugh as it catches on his disbelief. How has this become his life? Relishing in the moment someone mistakes Eddie for his because it feels good to pretend. How did he get here?

Still, he nods his head in agreement, his lip curling between his teeth as he watches Eddie walk away too.

“It’s definitely a sight.”

Her giggle -an honest to god giggle- snaps him out of his daze and his embarrassment hits him like a basketball to the face, closely followed by a pang of shame. God, what is he doing?

“I uh, I should go, get him- With him- Them. Yeah, uh, bye.” With that, he scurries off to the truck. As he does, he scolds himself under his breath. “Jesus, Buckley, get it together.”

Thankfully, everything seems to return back to normal once they are seated in the truck and his blossoming feelings are trapped beneath his seatbelt. Eddie turns on the radio, but keeps it low enough to carry a conversation as he drives them back to his house. 

Buck thinks about going straight to his car and hightailing it home before he can humiliate himself further. He rethinks that plan when Eddie casually reaches out a hand and pulls Buck’s fingers between his own. Buck holds his breath and lets his hand be lifted up to Eddie’s eyeline. 

“Your fingers are filthy, I think that pumpkin needs washing before you gut it.”

Composing himself, Buck takes a deep breath. In and out. Wait.

“Before I gut it? How did I get involved in this?”

Eddie snorts derisively, “Your pumpkin, your problem.”

“Buck is staying to carve with us?” Chris asks excitedly and Eddie gives Buck a winning smile, charming Buck effortlessly, as he pulls up at a light.

“Plus, Christopher wants you to stay.”

Buck sees something in his eyes, something glimmering in the kaleidoscope of colours that he can’t quite place. Something hopeful, something he wants to dive into and discover the depths of. It’s mesmerising enough that Buck nods along before he’s even noticed that he’s moving, only realising when Chris whoops excitedly from the back seat. 

“Good,” Eddie adds before focussing his attention back on the road. 

It does not escape Buck’s notice that Eddie is still holding on to his hand as he brings them back to the centre console. He doesn’t let go and neither does Buck. Instead he just stares at his hands, looking for traces of dirt he doesn't see and wondering if it was ever there to begin with. They don’t talk about it, Buck doesn’t dare ask. If this isn’t real, he doesn’t want to break the illusion until the very moment he has to. 

That moment comes when they pull up in the driveway. Much to Buck’s surprise though, Eddie’s hand claps his again as he leads him inside.

“Come on, you aren’t getting out of this,” he says. 

It sounds like another excuse. As if he could leave now. Eddie has him even more hooked than when the day began, and Christopher’s happiness is the icing on the cake as they begin cutting a coping at their pumpkins. Christopher chatters away as they do, filling the silence easily. He even asks if they can roast the pumpkin seeds to sprinkle on top of muffins. That has Eddie raising an eyebrow at Buck, who assures him he will make himself available to assist with baking. Any plans with Eddie and Christopher are good plans, especially when it earns him matching grateful smiles from them both. 

It takes a while before all three of them are ready to carve, and it’s a messy process. Time consuming too, in ways it wouldn’t be if Eddie wasn’t standing so close, every puff of air landing on Buck’s neck as he presses against his side to lean over Christopher’s shoulder and help. 

“Missed a spot,” he says nonchalantly. Both Buck and Chris look around, wondering what he means, only for their mouths to fall open as Eddie wipes pumpkin sludge down each of their cheeks. 

“Dad!”

“Did you just really do that?”

Eddie shugs innocently, “Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t.” 

“Oh, it’s on, Diaz.”

“Oh yeah? You think you can take me?” Buck gasps under his breath, immediately thrown back to that night in his kitchen. The moment he’d first thought - _ really _ thought- about kissing Eddie. 

Then, he’d brushed it off as a fleeting thought brought on by the circumstances. Now, he realises he should have taken the sign and maybe his feelings wouldn’t have snuck up on him so abruptly. 

Another swipe, this time by Christopher against his shirt, has Buck forgoing those thoughts as a manic smirk takes over his face. With his best villain laugh booming through the room, he lunges for the bowl of sticky, stringy pumpkin and is already planning his attack. 

It’s even messier from then on out.

Hours later, showered and in a borrowed shirt, Buck doesn’t even hesitate when Eddie asks him to stay. He doesn’t need a reason, or a moment of convincing, he just agrees. Because he wants to be here with them for as long as possible, as often as possible. And, as Eddie leads him to his bedroom without a word about the pullout and whispers goodnight across the sheets, it seems maybe Eddie might want the same. 

Falling asleep, enshrouded in the feeling of belonging is like nothing he has ever felt before, and waking up in Eddie’s arms the next morning is definitely another plus.

The real sign though, the moment when Buck knows without a doubt that this is heading somewhere great, is when he moves to get out of bed the next morning and Eddie gently pulls him back. There’s no denying the look in his eyes as they flicker down to Buck’s lips. There’s no resisting the urge to lean in when Eddie tugs just slightly, coaxing him closer. 

And there’s no denying the love bursts out around them and fills the room with colour when Eddie smiles into their first kiss. And the second. And the third. Or the honesty in every honey-coated word when he tells Buck they've been a family for a long time. It's the truth, unmistakable in the way they move smoothly around each other as they get Christopher ready for the day. It's a routine they've been through many times before, only now, Buck doesn't have to push down the urge to kiss Eddie when he asks what Buk is making, because Eddie is already leaning in to kiss him first.

Yeah, it’s safe to say Eddie might just, almost certainly, feel the same way. 

Maybe Autumn has it’s appeal after all. 

**Author's Note:**

> Written for our Buddie Discord Trick-or-Treat gift event. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it. :D


End file.
